RA Blog Week: Great Blogs From the Week

RABlog week is, at its heart, a way for bloggers to connect. Tell others about the great blogs you have read over the week. Perhaps you have found a gem from a blogger you did not know before or maybe one of your friends shared special insight. Give the high five in print to another blogger or two who participated in 2016 RABlog week. – See more at: http://www.radiabetes.com/prompts-rablog-week/#sthash.aDwRJIdd.dpuf

Wow! What an amazing week this has been. While I have been blogging and reading blogs since 2008, I am still blown away by all the knowledge we possess as patients. Our voice as RA bloggers is so important. We provide the missing link between patients and the medical world. Thank you so much to everyone who participated this week.

Unfortunately this has been a super busy week for me, so I haven’t had a chance to read all the blog posts I would like to. As I go back this weekend and read more, I am looking forward to also checking out the comments of each post. There are amazing conversations going on in the comments section.

Today’s post is intended to highlight other bloggers from the week. Here are a few of the many I enjoyed.

First off, a big thank to Rick of RADiabetes. I met Rick in April at HealtheVoices 2016 in Chicago. He is kind hearted, humorous, and a go getter. One never entered a conference room and wasn’t greeted by one of his blogger cards. 🙂 I loved Rick’s Day 2 story where he shares, “I became active when I took an interest in my health.”

Another friend I met at HealtheVoices 2016 is Molly. On Molly’s blog And Then You’re at Jax and through Twitter, you will see a person who never gives up. She has experienced some rough RA days, but her shining attitude always comes pouring through. On Day 3 Molly asks a great question, “Has anyone else seriously weighed the risks of taking these dangerous drugs? Have you decided not to take them? If so, how do you manage your RA?” This was a question I battled with for six years before finally choosing to use a biologic.

On Day 4, Brenda from Brenda’s Brainstorm & Trevor shares a great piece on the use of medicinal marijuana and narcotics. I believe this is a topic that deserves much more conversation and appreciate Brenda getting it going.

On Day 1, my amazing friend Lene from The Seated View shared her exceptional story with rheumatoid arthritis. Lene said, “If I were a cat, I’d be down about five lives by now.” This year was a tough one for Lene. I never get tired of hearing her story. It reminds me of the ending to a book I used to read to my kids, The Rainbow Fish. At the end of the book, the beautifully colored fish shares his scales with the other fish so they all are beautiful. Whenever I read Lene’s story, I feel like she is sharing a piece of her courage with each of us.

The best treat of all this week had to be the return of my lovely friend Marianna Paulson to her blog A Rheumful of Tips. When reading Marianna’s work, I always imagine the two of us sitting at a coffee shop talking. Her writing oozes with insight and calm. On Day 2, Marianna wrote about her responsibility as a patient. She gives this advice, “Find what works for you. Listen with your heart and your head. Gather information. Make your decisions. Correct, if need be. Trust yourself.” Amazing.

You made me get all teary there. What a beautiful way to describe me. (I just put a hold on The Rainbow Fish at the library — have to read it now) Thank you so much, my darling friend. You are always my favourite.

You make my heart sing, Cathy. (Good thing it's my heart and not me singing!) I love the visualization of us sitting together in a coffee shop chatting. I think our bums would get very sore, so we'd have to take our furry friends for a walk.

I haven't had a chance to do all the visiting I'd like, so thanks for the recommendations.